I'm Telling Mom looks to prove early promise

I’m Telling Mom will make her 3-year-old debut and appears to be the horse to beat in Friday’s $25,000 claiming feature over 5 1/2 furlongs at Emerald Downs.

Trained by Blaine Wright and owned by Finger Gun Racing, I’m Telling Mom will wear blinkers for the first time. The filly was a debut winner from well off the pace when defeating maiden claimers on Sept. 3 and last raced over the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields three weeks later.

Siblings of I’m Telling Mom have been particularly brilliant early in their careers, and that figures to influence I’m Telling Mom’s chances Friday as the filly makes just her third career start.

Great Mom, the dam of I’m Telling Mom, has produced four emphatic career-debut winners. Her only other offspring won her third start, upsetting in the WTBOA Lads Stakes at Emerald Downs at 48-1.

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The most eye-catching of the offspring of Great Mom was Squeeze Me, who won both career starts by more than six lengths with the second one coming in the Turf Paradise Open Spring Futurity in 2017. Another debut success for the mare’s offspring was Check the Gear, who managed to win a five-furlong dash at Emerald Downs by 11 1/4 lengths in 2021.

I’m Telling Mom has been working forwardly at Golden Gate Fields toward her return, and the Washington-bred restricted feature makes it an ideal spot.

There are many other win candidates in Friday’s field, beginning with She’s a Kraken, trained by Kay Cooper, who prepped in an allowance dash on May 11 at Emerald. The daughter of Nationhood will be making her first start under claiming conditions and will begin from the rail.

Trainer Rosie Simkins sends out the pair of Lutes Sea Gypsy and Betty Lute, each sired by Lutes Gift. Both were debut winners on Aug. 11 and will race for the first time since contesting the Washington Cup Juvenile Fillies on Aug. 27.

They “are completely different. Betty is a rock ‘n’ roller – never still, go getter – while Gypsy is quiet and unassuming,” Simkins said.

“I think Betty is faster, and hopefully she’ll get a good break. Gypsy, I think, will do her best running late,” Simkins added.

Others in the field include My Quiet Place, Parker’s Fifteen, and Rockit a Day. My Quiet Place is trained by Frank Lucarelli and was the winner of a maiden race at Turf Paradise on March 25 at odds of 1-20.

Parker’s Fifteen is trained by Jose Navarro and prepped in an allowance race on May 11 in which she finished sixth, beaten 15 1/2 lengths.

Rockit a Day was a May 4 claim by trainer Bonnie Jenne, and the filly won by 2 1/4 lengths that day against maidens at the $10,000 claiming level. She takes an ambitious step up in class Friday.

The return of Friday night racing to Emerald Downs brings the “Fabulous Fridays” T-shirt giveaway, where those in attendance will receive a free T-shirt with paid admission. That T-shirt is then good for free admission when worn on Fridays for the rest of the 2024 season.

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